Fairway wood-type golf clubs with high moment of inertia

Abstract

Fairway wood-type golf clubs as described herein may include: (a) a club head with a volume of at least 300 cc; (b) a shaft member attached to the club head, wherein the golf club has a length between 37 and 43 inches; and (c) a grip or handle member attached to the shaft member. The club head may further include: (1) a ball striking face, wherein the ball striking face has a loft angle between 12 and 32 degrees; and (2) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, with a sole portion that includes a ground-engaging surface.

I claim: 
     
       1. A fairway wood-type golf club, comprising:
 a fairway wood-type golf club head including: 
 a club head body including a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a rear portion, and 
 a ball striking face having a variable face thickness, wherein the ball striking face is engaged with or integrally formed as part of the club head body extending from the toe portion to the heel portion, and further wherein the ball striking face has a central region having a first face thickness, a perimeter region having a second face thickness thinner than the first face thickness, and at least one transition region at least partially transitioning from the first face thickness to the second face thickness, wherein the transition region is located on an interior of the club head opposite the ball striking face and the transition region gradually slopes and transitions the face thickness between the thicker central region and the thinner perimeter region, wherein the club head body and the ball striking face define a volume,
 a hosel member engaged with at least a portion of the club head; and 
 
 a shaft member engaged with the hosel member, 
 wherein the ball striking face includes a loft angle defined as an angle of the ball striking face in relation to the shaft member, 
 wherein the volume is in a range between 300 cc and 460 cc and the loft angle is in a range between 15 and 28 degrees, 
 wherein the sole portion includes a front surface, a central surface, and a rear surface; 
 wherein the front surface is angled upward toward the lower edge of the ball striking face, the central surface is generally horizontal, and the rear surface is angled upward toward the rear edge of the golf club body; 
 wherein the sole has a low point near the central surface and angles upward from the low point in the heel direction and the toe direction. 
 
     
     
       2. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the loft angle is between 20 and 25 degrees. 
     
     
       3. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 2 , wherein the club head has a volume of 460 cc. 
     
     
       4. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , the loft angle is between 18 and 28 degrees. 
     
     
       5. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the club head has a maximum length dimension from the heel portion to the toe portion that ranges from 4 to 6 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum breadth dimension from the ball striking face to the rear portion that ranges from 4 to 6 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum height dimension from the sole portion to the crown portion that ranges from 1 to 3.5 inches, wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.75, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 4000 g-cm 2 , and wherein the club head has a weight that ranges from 170 to 250 grams. 
     
     
       6. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the club head has a maximum length dimension from the heel portion to the toe portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum breadth dimension from the ball striking face to the rear portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum height dimension from the sole portion to the crown portion that ranges from 1.25 to 3 inches, wherein the club head has a volume of at least 400 cc, wherein the loft angle is between 16 and 28 degrees, wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 4200 g-cm 2 , and wherein the club head has a weight that ranges from 180 to 240 grams. 
     
     
       7. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein the club head has a maximum length dimension from the heel portion to the toe portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum breadth dimension from the ball striking face to the rear portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum height dimension from the sole portion to the crown portion that ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 inches, wherein the club head has a volume of at least 420 cc, wherein the loft angle is between 18 and 28 degrees, wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.82, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 4500 g-cm 2 , and wherein the club head has a weight that ranges from 185 to 230 grams. 
     
     
       8. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein a majority of the club head body is constructed from at least one member selected from the group of: titanium metal or titanium-containing alloy materials. 
     
     
       9. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein a weight member is located proximate to a rear heel location of the sole portion. 
     
     
       10. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 1 , wherein a weight member forming a portion of a crown surface is located proximate to a rear location of the crown portion. 
     
     
       11. A fairway wood-type golf club, comprising:
 a fairway wood-type golf club head including: 
 a club head body including a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a rear portion, and 
 a ball striking face engaged with or integrally formed as part of the club head body, and wherein the ball striking face has a variable thickness, and further wherein the ball striking face has a first area having a first thickness, a second area having a second thickness, and at least one transition region at least partially transitioning from the first thickness to the second thickness, and wherein the club head body and the ball striking face define a volume, 
 a shaft member engaged with the club head, 
 wherein the ball striking face includes a loft angle defined as an angle of the ball striking face in relation to the shaft member, 
 wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 5000 g-cm 2  and wherein the club has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80, and
 wherein the volume is in a range between 400 cc and 460 cc and the loft angle is in a range between 15 and 28 degrees, and 
 
 wherein the sole portion includes a ground-engaging surface, 
 wherein the ground-engaging surface has a keel formed of a plurality of substantially planar surfaces oriented at transverse angles to each other, wherein all planar surfaces converge at a convergence point located near a center of the sole portion in a heel to toe direction and a front to back direction. 
 
     
     
       12. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 5500 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
       13. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 5900 g-cm 2 . 
     
     
       14. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein the club head has a volume of 460 cc. 
     
     
       15. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 14 , wherein the loft angle is between 20 and 25 degrees. 
     
     
       16. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein the club head body constitutes a multi-part construction. 
     
     
       17. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein a majority of the club head body is constructed from at least one member selected from the group of: titanium metal or titanium-containing alloy materials. 
     
     
       18. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein a majority of the ball striking face is constructed from at least one member selected from the group of: titanium metal or titanium-containing alloy materials. 
     
     
       19. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein a center thickness on the sole portion is less than a perimeter thickness on the sole portion. 
     
     
       20. A fairway wood-type golf club according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of planar surfaces is defined by four planar surfaces that include two front surfaces extending rearward from a bottom edge of the ball striking face and two rear surfaces extending toward the a heel portion and the a toe portion of the club head body. 
     
     
       21. A fairway wood-type golf club, comprising:
 a fairway wood-type golf club head including: 
 a club head body including a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a rear portion, and 
 a ball striking face having a variable face thickness, wherein the ball striking face is engaged with or integrally formed as part of the club head body extending from the toe portion to the heel portion, and further wherein the ball striking face has a central region having a first face thickness, and a perimeter region having a second face thickness thinner than the first face thickness, and wherein the club head body and the ball striking face define a volume; 
 a hosel member engaged with at least a portion of the club head; and 
 a shaft member engaged with the hosel member, 
 wherein the ball striking face includes a loft angle defined as an angle of the ball striking face in relation to the shaft member, 
 wherein the club head has a maximum length dimension from the heel portion to the toe portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum breadth dimension from the ball striking face to the rear portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum height dimension from the sole portion to the crown portion that ranges from 1.25 to 3 inches wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.80, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 4200 g-cm 2 , and wherein the club head has a weight that ranges from 180 to 240 grams, and 
 wherein the volume is in a range between 400 cc and 460 cc and the loft angle is in a range between 15 and 28 degrees; 
 wherein the sole portion includes a front surface, a central surface, and a rear surface; 
 wherein the front surface is angled upward toward the lower edge of the ball striking face, the central surface is generally horizontal, and the rear surface is angled upward toward the rear edge of the golf club body; 
 wherein the sole has a low point near the central surface and angles upward from the low point in the heel direction and the toe direction. 
 
     
     
       22. A fairway wood-type golf club, comprising:
 a fairway wood-type golf club head including: 
 a club head body including a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a rear portion, and 
 a ball striking face having a variable face thickness, wherein the ball striking face is engaged with or integrally formed as part of the club head body extending from the toe portion to the heel portion, and further wherein the ball striking face has a central region having a first face thickness, and a perimeter region having a second face thickness thinner than the first face thickness, and wherein the club head body and the ball striking face define a volume; 
 a hosel member engaged with at least a portion of the club head; and 
 a shaft member engaged with the hosel member, 
 wherein the ball striking face includes a loft angle defined as an angle of the ball striking face in relation to the shaft member; 
 wherein the club head has a maximum length dimension from the heel portion to the toe portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum breadth dimension from the ball striking face to the rear portion that ranges from 4.5 to 5 inches, wherein the club head has a maximum height dimension from the sole portion to the crown portion that ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 inches, wherein the club head has a coefficient of restitution of at least 0.82, wherein the club head has a moment of inertia Izz of at least 4500 g-cm 2 , and wherein the club head has a weight that ranges from 185 to 230 grams, and 
 wherein the volume is in a range between 420 cc and 460 cc and the loft angle is in a range between 20 and 25 degrees; and 
 wherein a weight member forming a portion of a crown surface is located proximate to a rear location of the crown portion.